You didn't think Google was going to sit the smartwatch party out, did you? Since the Pebble watch made a splash at CES, we've gotten word that both Apple and Samsung are busy working on wearable tech that will talk to our mobile phones. It should come as no surprise then to find out that Google is now exploring the market with a watch based off its Android operating system. There's no date on when to expect these watches, but for now you can read reviews of ones that have already hit the market. Here are our thoughts on the Pebble and the Martian smartwatches.

In an interview with Reuters, HBO executive Richard Plepler said his company is contemplating offering HBO Go as a standalone product, available as a monthly subscription to those who do not pay for the premium cable channel. Customers could pay around $10 to $15 for the service and stream HBO content on most platforms. This of course would cut into the company's current business model, so HBO says it'll need to "work out the math" before something like this were to roll out.

CNET editors got their hands on one of the biggest products to come out of CES this year, the Razer Edge gaming tablet. While there's no review yet, first impressions of the tablet show that gamers will have to make some graphical compromises in order to play the latest games. That said, the Edge is mostly a complete package that's ready to go out of the box. Stay tuned for the full review.

Apple has slammed the ban-hammer down on a controversial game that hit the App Store last year. Sweatshop HD is a real-time-strategy game that puts you in control of a production line where you're encouraged to ignore human labor rights and hire underage workers to save money. According to Apple, the themes in the game are "too uncomfortable to sell."

Finally, RBC Capital Markets is reporting that Apple is planning on releasing multiple phones this summer including a watered-down version of the iPhone 5, called the iPhone 5S that will feature a plastic case and no Retina Display. Of course the phone would go for cheaper and would help Apple appeal to customers who still don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a smartphone.

About the author

Jeff has been at CNET for more than five years covering games, tech, and pop culture. When he's not playing ice hockey or pinball, you can catch him live every day as the host of CNET's infamous daily show, The 404 Show and every Friday in CNET's first-ever tech comic, Low Latency.
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